Prospect plans to build new paths connecting to Lewis and Clark Bridge

PROSPECT, Ky. (WDRB) – Prospect City Council members passed a resolution to financially support the first phase of building more multi-use paths in the city, connecting to the Lewis and Clark Bridge and eventually to the Louisville Loop.

There is no clear indication how many people have used the walking path since the bridge opened last December. However, the city of Prospect plans to expand on its popularity.

“There are people out here virtually every day,” said Prospect city council member Luke Schmidt. “Warm weather, cold weather, even when it’s raining, they’ll walk and ride bicycles from here to Indiana and back. It’s been extremely popular.”

The city’s new path would be built for walkers, joggers, wheelchairs, bicycles and motorized golf carts. It would be eight-to-ten-feet wide along Timber Ridge Road and onto US 42. The multi-use path would connect four of the city’s neighborhoods to the central business district.

And this would be a team effort with Louisville Metro Government.

“Louisville Metro, because of the popularity of the pathway, recognized that they needed to improve access to it,” Schmidt said.

Metro Louisville already has plans to build a new path from the Lewis and Clark Bridge walkway down to the waterfront and toward Prospect. Louisville’s path would connect to the city of Prospect’s path at Timber Ridge Road and River Road.

“A lot of our citizens have said over and over to not only me, but committee members and other council members, we want this pathway system,” Schmidt said.

The first phase of Prospect’s plan for the path will cover design, engineering and right-of-way acquisition. The city has promised to pay 20 percent of the federal grant for this phase. Schmidt predicts the city’s contribution of 20 percent will equal around $200,000.

“The good thing for us is we have the opportunity to tie into Louisville Metro’s planned path, plus the bridge, and the long-term Louisville Loop, which will go downtown to the Big Four Bridge.”

The city’s second phase, acquiring more funding, will probably start next September. And construction on the path could start in 2019.

It’s all part of a bigger picture goal of making Prospect a more attractive place for people to visit and move to.

“This makes Prospect more of a destination,” Schmidt said. “It improves quality of life. It improves property values. A lot of good things about it, no downsides.”